234Chapter 3: Just Can't Help Myself
James groaned at the breakfast table as he looked at the Slytherins, unable to hex any of them due to his promise to be good until break started.
"I feel like I'm in….what's that muggle thing when you can't have the drug you want?" He asked Ben who was loading up his plate with cinnamon toast.
"Withdrawal?"
"Yeah, that. It's been FIVE DAYS since we pulled a prank."
"I know mate, I reckon my wand is going to be out of practice." Ben said, looking tenderly at his wand.
"Maybe you can shape your wand by actually doing something in Transfiguration class today," Emma told him as she scanned over the Daily Prophet. James held out his hand and Emma wordlessly gave him the Quidditch section, after five years he didn't have to ask. "McGonagall won't know what got in to you." Ben gave her a look.
"I can turn a rat into a teacup just fine thank you," he said. "Now if I could only learn to transfigure Amelia Bagshot's nose into something a little less large then I may actually go to Hogsmeade with her in the spring." He looked over at the Hufflepuff table where a sixth year was sneaking glances at him. He gave her a crooked smile and she turned red and went back to gossiping with her friends. "Actually it seems she did that herself. Excellent." James grinned at his best friend and Emma tried not to laugh. Since Ben's growth spurt after third year, the female population around Hogwarts had started to fawn after him with his bright blue eyes, dark curly hair and effortless charm. James shot up not long after and, adding in the fact that he was a Quidditch star, he became the other heartthrob. Unfortunately, they both spent too much time in detention to have a proper relationship with anyone, but that didn't stop a group of giggling girls steal glances at them every chance they got.
"You've both got two more days to go without getting into trouble. I think you can handle it." Emma told them, not wanting to go to Hogsmeade by herself for the month of January.
"Well we only get in trouble…" Ben started, his eyes brightening.
"…if we get caught." James finished.
"May I see the Potter and Weasley family?" Headmistress McGonagall announced, standing up at the staff table. "And Miss Warrington as well." James and Emma looked at each other questioningly as they followed their family to the front of the Great Hall. "Are you all here?" She said, looking around at the many children standing in front of her. "Very well, as you know the holiday break begins on Friday morning for Hogwarts, yet the Ministry does not recognize this as part of their staff's paid break. I have received owls from your families this morning asking me to tell you that your grandmother will be picking all of you up at the platform and bring you to the Burrow until everyone gets off work. They all ask that you behave for her, being as she has not has this many children in her house solely under her jurisdiction in quite sometime. Is that understood?" They all nodded. "Good, you may return to your tables." They left, chatting about the many cookies Molly Weasley was sure to give them upon their arrival home.
"Oi! ASP!" James loudly whispered across the common room. Albus looked up from his Charms homework and at his brother in confusion. "Yeah you, come here!" He gathered his books and walked over to where James and Ben were crouched in a corner.
"What does 'ASP' mean?"
"Albus Severus Potter. Came up with it myself!" James said proudly while Albus nodded. At least he had stopped calling him 'Alby Snivellus', however that was only because their dad found out and threatened to legally change James' name to Salazar Slytherin II. It was the only time he had seen Harry worse than Ginny in his temper and the boys never asked why he got this weird look in his eye upon hearing the mocking middle name.
"Anyway, we have decided to let you play a part in our newest…adventure." Ben smiled.
"A minor part though, as you have still not proved yourself worthy." James told him. "All we ask of you is your wand." Albus' hand instinctively went to his wand in his pocket.
"Why mine? You've got your own. And if McGonagall catches you…"
"Which is precisely why we are using yours." Ben explained. "If she uses Prior Incantato on our wands, it'll only show how diligent I am in doing my Transfiguration homework."
"I dunno…" Albus said uneasily. "What if she checks my wand?"
"Well you're fourteen and due for a detention." James said shrugging.
"What are you doing?" Albus asked. "Not something hurtful?" James and Ben looked at him in disbelief.
"When have we ever done something like that?" Ben asked him. Albus gave them a look.
"Growing Flint's toenails so they broke out of his shoes, making him believe he was in love with Mrs. Norris, turning the entire Hufflepuff Quidditch team's eyebrows gold…"
"Ah, merely temporary things to relieve students of a boring existence." James said matter-of-factly. "Trust me, you'll like this one we've got planned." Albus thought for a minute.
"I'll lend you my wand if you lend me yours. Then I'll be sure to get mine back." He said. Ben raised his eyebrows.
"A fair negotiation I believe." James nodded and he and his brother swapped their wands. Albus went back to do his work and James turned to Ben.
"I have to say I'm impressed, the little bugger is starting to speak his mind."
"Maybe it's our golden influence on him."
The school was buzzing the next day. Not only was it the last day of classes before the break, but Scorpius Malfoy had left the Great Hall at breakfast looking quite different than when he entered. Sometime between eating his porridge and pouring another glass of milk, his robes had been turned pink, his bleach blonde hair put into pigtails and across his forehead, the words "Holyhead Harpies Biggest Fan" glittered. The Great Hall erupted in laughter and the headmistress' face immediately looked at the two Gryffindors who were looking much too innocent. She summoned their wands but found that their last charms were for the homework for her own class. Suspicious but unable to punish them, she returned their wands and restored Malfoy's appearance back to normal.
James stood up as the train pulled into King's Cross Station and collected his things.
"So you'll be over the day after Christmas, right?" Emma asked Ben. "And then stay with us until we head back?"
"Yes mam," Ben said. "Can you take being away from me for four days?" he asked cupping her face in his hands.
"I think I'll manage," she said, rolling her eyes and grabbing her trunk. They three left their compartment and stepped on the busy platform. Ben spotted his parents, who still looked slightly uncomfortable being surrounded by Wizards and bid James and Emma goodbye before going off.
"Oh there's James and Emma!" James heard his grandmother call, beckoning him over to where Albus, Lily and Hugo already stood. They walked over to her and she grabbed James' face giving him a kiss on both cheeks. "Now Jamesie are you behaving yourself?"
"Bout as much as Uncle George did." He said with a grin, causing his grandmother to give him a stern look. Even in her seventies, Molly Weasley made the rules. She turned to Emma.
"Oh Emma dear!" She pulled her into a hug. "You look even more beautiful than you did this summer, you are growing up so fast! Oh here comes Fred and Louis, where in the world are Rose and little Molly, oh there they are." She said as the two girls hustled over. "Now there are nine, we need one more-ah Roxanne there she is, is that Joseph Wood?" The entire family looked over at Roxanne giving Joseph a kiss on the cheek as she left him.
"Woah he's the Gryffindor seeker!" Hugo said in amazement. Hugo was obsessed with knowing everything about Quidditch and would constantly ask James about their game plan and how the team was doing and offer his own advice on their strengths and weaknesses. James offered him a tryout for the open Beater position at the beginning of the year, but Hugo said he liked to remain on the sidelines instead and would much rather be able to see the whole match unfold.
"Oi! Roxy!" James called to his cousin and she whipped her head around in anger and Emma scolded him.
"James, she was having a moment!"
"Yeah well I want some cookies." He reasoned.
After an afternoon at the burrow where, miraculously, nothing was broken beyond repair, Emma helped Ginny prepare dinner.
"So tell me all about school Emma, the only thing I get from James is detention stories." Ginny shook her head. She loved all of her children the same, but James tested her patience.
"Well, Roxanne fancies the Gryffindor seeker Joseph Wood and they actually were having a moment at the platform today before James decides to yell and ruin it."
"He could have had any one of Ron's traits and he gets his knack for terrible timing." Ginny thought back to a summer afternoon so long ago, but it felt like only the other day, where she and Harry had been having a particular romantic moment. "One day James will finally get a girl and the tables will be turned. Are there any lookers for you?" Emma shrugged.
"I don't know, I mean I think Ryan Davies is kind of cute." She thought of the fifth year Hufflepuff that she was partnered with in potions.
"I remember his father Roger," Ginny thought back. "He was very handsome, he actually took Fleur to the Yule Ball."
"Really?" Emma asked, she had never heard of this story. "Who did you go with?"
"Neville Longbottom," Ginny laughed. "Harry asked me after but I had to turn him down, which of course I stayed up all night wondering why he could not have just asked me first."
"Well it took him six years to finally kiss you." Emma smiled.
"I was waiting for the right moment." Harry said as he flooed into the kitchen from work. He gave Ginny a kiss on the cheek and Emma a big hug.
"Yes, and the right moment happened to be in the middle of the crowded Gryffindor common room." Ginny teased. "I thought that cow Romilda Vane was going to punch me."
"Romilda Vane like the gossip column writer for the Prophet?" Emma asked.
"The one and only." Ginny said. "Even after twenty years, she still asks me how Harry and I are doing when I go in to write the Quidditch report. I bet my bottom galleon that she would leap for joy if I hinted at a marriage problem." Harry shook his head.
"Anyway, how did your term go Emma? Still kicking Ben's rear in Transfiguration?"
"You bet." Emma said smiling. "I heard McGonagall is actually thinking of hiring another professor to teach though. She said something about having enough duties as headmistress."
"James and Ben still keeping her busy then?" Harry asked and Ginny watched his expression which tended to look more proud than mad upon hearing about his son's antics.
"Would you believe me if I said otherwise?" Emma laughed. "They're good boys, I just think they get…restless."
"Yeah dad, you didn't save any mysteries for us to solve." James joked, coming into the kitchen. Harry gave him a hug and shook his head before going in the next room to say hi to Albus and Lily.
"How about you find out who your Aunt Hermione took to the Yule Ball?" Ginny said to James. "Hugo will have a fit when he finds out."
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NEXT: Christmas dinner at the Weasley house...need i say more?